Manually maneuverable baggage truck



J1me 1954 w. STUMPHAUZER 82,348

MANUALLY MANEUVERABLE BAGGAGE TRUCK Filed June 20, 1952 Fig.

William Sfumphauzer 'INVENTOR.

40 38 & [i y 73 BY 1mm A I Mfiwfifagg Patented June 29, 1954 UNITEDATENT OFFICE MANUALLY MANEUVERABLE BAGGAGE TRUCK 2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to article handling, generally speaking,and has more particular reference to baggage-type trucks, usualhand-pushed, which are employed by porters, stevedores, warehouseworkmen and the like, for transporting loads of one type or another in agenerally well-known push-pull and carting fashion.

More specifically, the invention has to do with follower-type loadejecting means of the lever operated type and which assists indislodging the stack of cartons, boxes, and so on, in the manner toallow the usual load supporting plate to be withdrawn and separated fromthe load. It will be evident from the preceding general survey of theart under consideration that load dislodging and ejecting levers onhand-trucks are not new. It is therefore an object of the instantinvention to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon knownlever-type load ejecting devices and to do so through the medium of astructurally distinct, practical and economical construction which willaptly serve the respective requirements of manufacturers and usersalike.

A significant object of the invention is to provide a truck of the typestated which is generally hand controlled and otherwise manuallyhandled, the same being provided with a load ejecting device, one whichpermits spotting of the load close to a wall with the load in stackform, this being accomplished by action of a novel ejector which isbrought into play during the unloading step and which results in forcingthe usual supporting plate at the bottom of the truck away from thestack or load in a highly advantageous and acceptable manner.

Another object of the invention, considered in terms of generalities, isto improve upon and reduce the number of parts entering into thecombination, thereby not only increasing the eiiiciency of the structureas a whole, but also rendering the same less costly to manufacture andto otherwise simplify factors of assembling and sale.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying sheet of drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employedto designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is what may be identified as a front elevation of thehand-truck with the improved facilities embodied therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, that is 2 a view observingFigure 1 in a direction from left to right.

Figure 3 is a view which is on an enlarged scale and is in section andelevation and of a fragmentary nature to bring out certain of thedetails of construction.

By way of introduction to the detailed descrip tion it may be said thatthe invention, briefly, is characterized by a handle-equipped framehaving axle supported transporting wheels at its lower rollable andmaneuverable end and also having a wedge-shaped load supporting andwithdrawable plate at said lower end, a load ejector device embodying alever pivotally mounted for operation on said frame and havingroller-equipped a Figure 1 wherein it will be seen that the framework ofthe hand-truck is denoted, generally speaking, by the numeral 4. This ispreferably made up of tubular or rod members of great strength but ofcomparatively light weight form. Said frame is characterized by spacedparallel longitudinal side members 66 having their upper ends curved asat 8 and providing suitable push-pull handles. There is a horizontalcrosslnember providing a brace Ill and this is situated between andfastened to the longitudinal frame members 6fi. There is a similarintermediate cross-piece l2 and this functions as assembling andsupporting shaft. The usual flat bottom foot or loading and transportingplate I l is at the bottom and, which is usually the situation, bridgesthe space between the side members and extends therefrom with itstapering toe portion I6 engageable with the fioor or other surface Itand its heel portion 29 spaced above the floor when the truck is inloaddischarging position in. the manner shown in Figure 2. The wheels, asusual, are denoted at 22 and are freely rotatable on an axle 24supported in bearings provided therefor in hanger flanges 26 carried bythe trailing sides of the longitudinal frame members 5. Actually insofaras the detail description has gone an ordinary baggage truck has beendescribed and the invention is in combination therewith and also has todo with the device as an attachment or entity by itself. The device,sometimes called broadly an ejector and follower is denoted by thenumeral 28 and comprises a lever which takes the form. of a rod 30. Thisis provided at its upper end with a suitable handle-bar 32. It isprovided at the lower end with a T-head or alternatively, a cross-head.

The latter is at right angles to the lever or rod 30 and is denoted bythe numeral 34 and being centrally connected to the lever it hasprojecting end portions of 3636 which may be best described as journalsin that they serve to accommodate the applicable and removable metalsleeves 38-38 which constitute anti-friction rollers. These are held inplace by assembling and retaining nuts 40-40 on the screw threaded endportions of said journals. The intermediate portions of the lever havetubular lateral projections which constitute axially alined bearings 4242 and these are rotatably mounted on the shaft 12. This provides thehinging and swinging connection for the lever between the side membersof the frame. By thus properly hinging the lever it is obvious thatoperating the handle means at the top serves to swing the lever towardand from the frame as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. This alsoallows the ejecting and follower means at the lower end to come intoplay and to function in an obvious manner to dislodge the load A so thatit can be shoved off of the plate or, vice versa, held while the plateis withdrawn and the truck rolls in a direction away from the stack orload. The clearance of the heel portion 20 prevents friction and bindingat the withdrawal step of the plate I4.

The device broadly comprises a handleequipped lever with means wherebyit is swingably and hingedly mounted between the frame members with thelower end of the lever sweeping toward and from the load supporting andtransporting plate M with anti-friction follower rollers to assist inthe easy operation of the lever.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details comingwithin the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actualpracinvention, what is a shaft, supporting and transporting wheels imounted for operation on the lower end portion of said frame, a loadhandling and supporting plate joined to said lower end portion andprojecting laterally therefrom, a lever substantially commensurate inlength with the length of said frame and pivotally mounted intermediateits upper and lower ends on said lower brace member, means carried bysaid lever whereby the latter is situated and held for operationcentrally between said side members, the lower end of said leverterminating in close proximity to said plate and having a pair ofaxially aligned freely rotatable rollers attached thereto, the over-allreach of said rollers, cornbinedly considered, being approximately equalto the length of said plate, and handle means on the upper end of saidlever in close proximity to the above mentioned handles.

2. A manually maneuverable baggage truck for use by porters, stevedores,warehouse employees and the like, comprising a frame embodying spacedparallel longitudinal side members having complemental brace means,supporting wheels for the lower end portion of said frame, a lateralload handling and supporting plate carried by the lower end portions ofsaid side members, an ejector-type lever having handle means at its top,said lever being situated midway between and parallel to the sidemembers,

the intermediate portion of said lever having laterally extendingmembers hingedly supported from said frame, the lower end of said leverextending to and terminating in close proximity with said loadsupporting and handling plate, said lower end terminating in a coplanarcrosshead and said cross-head providing axially aligned journalsprojecting from opposite sides of said lever, and anti-friction rollersremovably mounted on said journals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,407,235 Taylor Feb. 21, 1922 1,462,233 Kerr July 17, 19231,542,023 Alexander June 16, 1925 1,556,262 Streeter Oct. 6, 19251,710,893 Phillips Apr. 30, 1929 2,240,355 Swimley Apr. 29, 19412,406,158 Newport Aug. 20, 1946 2,442,248 Sampsell May 25, 19482,476,202 Lozon, Sr July 12, 1949 2,606,678 Penberthy et a1. Aug. 12,1952

